Former well-to-do family selling belongings

COLORADO SPRINGS — A Village Seven-area couple have raided their children’s toy boxes and closets for a blow-out “garage sale” for this Saturday only.

“I’m sure the kids will miss some of their favorite belongings, but I really have to have my morning Starbucks,” said Charlie Snyder, the unemployed father of three.

The sale doesn’t actually include the garage, said Snyder, “unless someone makes a really attractive offer.”

Snyder noted that the two-car garage features a recently painted floor.

“If people aren’t interested in buying anything, they can still stop by and see our garage floor. I put on two coats of Hunter Green. I have a lot of time on my hands, being unemployed and all.”

Snyder and his wife, Rose, were once “well-to-do” both holding down high paying jobs in the Olympic Movement. In February of 2000, Rose retired to raise the couple’s three young children: Carli Rose (6), Gina Maria (3) and Sam Andrew (2). That December Mr. Snyder was laid off by an ill-conceived, start-up dot.com.

“In hindsight, I don’t know why Rose quit her job,” said Snyder, “Other people were raising our kids just fine. But hindsight is always 20/20.”

The sale is Saturday, August 25, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Since the family was, at one point, well-to-do, the price-to-sell items are name-brand, high quality merchandise, including baby and toddler clothes galore, toys, sports equipment (like-new 10-speed, basketball backboard, hoop and brand-new net), flatware, dishes, and Christmas china.

“We can’t afford Christmas this year,” said Snyder, “so I see little need for a meal served on festive dishes.”

The sale also includes items for the do-it-yourselfers.

“We are selling three electric fans that we have either broken or have unexplainably stopped working,” said Snyder. “The cords are worth a quarter.”

In conjunction with the garage sale, Carli Snyder will be operating a lemonade stand. Special sets of “free cookies” are offered with each glass of lemonade purchased.